Patrick Cote, left, and Riley Gillis, become Eagle Scouts Saturday at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Tupper Lake. Bruce Lavoy, far right, was chosen by Cote to receive a mentor award for being influential on Cote’s journey. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Cerbone)

TUPPER LAKE — On a day the village mayor declared as Eagle Scouts Day, Riley Gillis and Patrick Cote became the second and third Tupper Lakers to become Eagle Scouts this month.

After Matthew Whitmore became Troop 23’s 18th Eagle Scout two weeks ago, on Saturday Gillis and Cote brought the total number of Eagle Scouts up to 20. They will be followed by another, Christopher Gilman, later this month.

Proud parents, smiling Scouts and local politicians filled St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, where Whitmore had recently finished his Eagle Scout project resurfacing the handicap parking and repairing the ramp.

Scoutmaster Thomas Gilman said only 2 percent of Boy Scouts have attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

To earn the honor, the boys had to show their character, dedication and expertise over many years. Twenty-one merit badges are required — 13 required and eight chosen by the Scout — as well as a final project.

Cote earned 22 merit badges overall, and Gillis earned 24, one shy of an Eagle Palm, which he hopes to complete before he turns 18.

Both said they especially enjoyed earning their cycling merit badges, which they earned together, doing a 50-mile bike ride at the Massawepie Scout Camps in one day. Gillis also said he will always remember camping in the rain, which happened often to Troop 23. He recalls it fondly, though, specifically one night when he and Cote woke up to a stream of water running under and through their tent.

The two received letters and plaques commemorating their achievement from state Sen. Betty Little and town Supervisor Patti Littlefield, who were in attendance, as well as from state Assemblyman Billy Jones, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik and the local Leathernecks Marine Corps group. As their arms were loaded up with letters, plaques and awards, they had to set them down to shake everyone’s hands.

Cote chose to renovate an archery trail at the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club for his Eagle Scout project because of his love for the sport. He said he started archery in fourth grade and has continued it in the high school’s program at the Rod and Gun Club.

“I noted that in the outdoor course, people were hanging bows on trees, and it wrecks the bow,” Cote said. “So I approached them and said, ‘Would you like some hangers for bows?'”

He installed 14 bow hangers on one of the club’s outdoor trail systems, with decorative frames and a newly GPS-mapped trail map.

“This I feel like I did not earn more than my mom did,” Cote said. “She got me to do all the work. Honestly, I would not be standing here if she didn’t get me to do everything I was supposed to.”

Cote was wearing his great-grandfather’s World War I compass, given to him by his grandfather earlier that day.

Gillis chose to renovate the rear entrance for the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library because he enjoys reading. The rear entrance leads to the building’s community room.

The two gave mentor awards to people they felt were influential on their journeys to becoming Eagle Scouts. Gillis chose Jane Lavoy, and Cote chose Jane’s husband Bruce Lavoy, whom Assistant Scoutmaster Pete Edwards called “kingpins for Boy Scouting.”

Little, who has two Eagle Scout grandsons herself, said they will never say, “I was an Eagle Scout” — rather, “I am an Eagle Scout.”

“I think what you learn is something that you carry through the rest of your life,” Little said. “You learn the feeling of doing something that is helping other people. You will never lose that.”

Little said the state Senate has passed a proclamation solidifying their Eagle Scout status, which will become a full resolution.

Maroun passed a resolution in the village declaring the day Eagle Scouts Day and said he got a similar resolution passed by the Franklin County Board of Legislators, of which he is an elected member.

“When you get a unanimous vote in Franklin County, you’ve done something,” Maroun said.

Gilman stained and preserved all the wooden sections of the Junction Pass Trail for his project over the summer, and installed wooden planters at both trail entrances. He is expected to become an Eagle Scout in the near future after all the necessary paperwork is done.